Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, July 19th, at 8:00pm. The highlights are LEACH'S STORM-PETREL, RUFF, ARCTIC TERN, SANDWICH TERN, and LONG-TAILED JAEGER.

A LEACH'S STORM-PETREL was discovered on a pelagic trip off the south shore of Long Island last Sunday.

Approximately 5000 shorebirds were counted this morning at the East Pond of Jamaica Bay, highlighted by a RUFF (first seen near the south end, then later near Dead Man's Cove on the west side of the north end), 3200 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1500 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 130 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 110 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 30 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 27 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 24 STILT SANDPIPERS, 8 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, and one PECTORAL SANDPIPER. The RUFF was still present on the East Pond at 2:30 this afternoon (east side of north end), and a WESTERN SANDPIPER was also reported there. Access to the East Pond has improved, but boots are still recommended.

Wednesday's count from the East Pond at the end of the day tallied 2000 shorebirds that were mostly SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS but also included a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and 6 STILT SANDPIPERS.

An ARCTIC TERN was found last Wednesday at Cupsogue County Park in West Hampton Dunes. A SANDWICH TERN, a ROYAL TERN, and a ROSEATE TERN, plus a LONG-TAILED JAEGER were also found last Saturday at Mecox Bay.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL appeared last Saturday at Sagaponack Pond, and the ocean at nearby Georgica Pond produced a few WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS and a CORY'S SHEARWATER.

A pelagic trip off Montauk Point last Sunday led to the discovery of ~500 GREAT SHEARWATERS, ~200 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, ~50 SOOTY SHEARWATERS and ~12 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS. Also seen were ~8 Fin Whales, ~60 Common Dolphins and 2 LOGGERHEAD TURTLES.

A SNOW GOOSE continues this week with Canadas near the Lemon Creek Boat Launch on Staten Island. It was first reported in the spring and appears to have an injured wing.

A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was at Alley Pond Park last Tuesday. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was at Jamaica Bay on Thursday., and a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was seen in Rocky Point today.

Tom Burke will be away for the next two weeks. Please call in reports to Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society.